John Boehner Flunks Constitution 101

[riqster]

As Nancy Pelosi said, the House has to take the lead on legislation that involves taxing or spending. http://bluntandcranky.wordpress.com/2013/02/26/interlude-the-wing-has-come-off-of-john-boehners-nut/

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Legislation-Presidential-Congressional-337/2008/10/happens-bills-Congress-changes.htm

So the Senate does not need to get "off its ass". Indeed, it is Boehner's loathsome behind that needs to get in gear.

[unblock]

1. technically true, but a bit of a trivial point, and doesn't bar the senate from action.

true, if the senate originates a revenue bill, then THAT VERSION can never become law.

but both houses often pass bills they know will not become law, at least not in that exact form.

so the senate could certainly pass a bill regarding revenue, then the house looks at it as a political suggestion, technically originates their own brand new bill, which was always going to be at least slightly different from the senate version anyway, and passes that and kicks it over to the senate.

the senate then passes the bill that originated in the house and it becomes a law with the president's signature or veto override.



another possibility is that the house might have already passed some similar political gesture bill that the senate was going to ignore. if it contains any revenue or tax change at all, then the senate can take that and "amend" it, gutting everything except the bill number, so it looks like a brand new bill, but technically it's an amendment of a house revenue bill.


having said all this, boehner is obviously just chicken and trying to pass the buck.

[riqster]

2. All valid scenarios

But the current situation is that we have two days to get something done, and there is no time for any of the alternate paths.

Boehner is practicing the politics of blame, instead of governing.

[unblock]

3. yeah, and actually that's a good thing.

nothing good comes from republicans actually governing.

[riqster]

4. Point.

[former9thward]

5. The House has passed its version of an alternative to the sequester.

It is not a good bill but it is in the Senate's hands. The Senate can pass their own bill or pass amendments to the House bill. It would then go to a conference committee to hammer out the differences. http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/274159-house-passes-sequester-replacement-boehners-tax-plan-is-next

[riqster]

6. I believe that bill was passed during the previous Congress

And so is dead unless resubmitted in this one. I could be wrong (and frequently am), but that appears to be correct from my research. Check the second link in the OP.

[former9thward]

7. Thanks, I think that's right.

I had forgotten about that.

[riqster]

8. Thank Nancy Pelosi

I heard her say something of such on the news this morning, went looking on the Internets and found this stuff.

[riqster]

10. Ol' Johnny has a case of DIH

"Deer In Headlights".